Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-03

nlelilh, anu helb bJoou bMo particularly nhllti
some girl mutes, their heads bowed upol
their bosoms and their hands crossed in NJ
attitude of the humblest submission. As w
came up they each stretched out an arm AM
drew back the curtains. Thcroupon Billal
did curious thing. Down he went, tina
venerable looking old gentleman-for Billal
Is a gentleman at the bottom-down ont
his hands and knees, and in this undignihec
position, with his long white beard trailing
on the ground, he began to creep into thu
apartment beyond. l followed him, walking
on my feet in the usual fashion. Looking
over his shoulder, he perceived it.
"Down, my son; down, my Balloon; down
on thy hands and knees We enter the pres
once of She, and IL thou art not humble of Q
surety sho will blast thee where thou stand
est"
halted and felt scared. Indeed my knee.
began TO give way Of their own mere notion
but reflection came to my aid. / was an
Englishmnn, and why, asked myself, should
| creep into the presence of some savage
woman as though were monkey in fact as
well as in namel would not and could not
do it--that is, unless l was absolutely sure
that my lfo depended upon 1t. II once
| began to creep upon my knees, should al
WAYS havo to do so, and it would be patent
acknowledgement Of inferiority. So, fortified
by an insular prejudice against "kotouing, y
which has, like most OF our so called preju-
dces. good deal Of common sense to recon-
mend it, marched in boldly after Billali. i
found myself in another apartment consider
ably smaller than tho anteroom, of which the
walls were entirely hung with rich looking
- il.a
door-the work, as subsequently discovered,
OF tho mutes who sat in the antechambor and
woye them in strips, which were afterwnrd
Sewn together. Also hero and there about
the room wero settoes of beautiful black
wood OF tho ebony type, inlnid with ivory,
and all about the floor wero other tapestries,
or rather rugs At the top end Of this apart
ment was what appeared to DO recess, also
draped with curtains, through which shone
rays of light. There was nobody in the place
except ourselves.
Painfully and slowly old Billnh crept up
the length of the cave, and with tho most dig
niied stride that could command followed
after him. But felt that it was more or less
Of failure. To begin with, it is not possible
to look dignifled when you are following in
the wake of an old man writhing along on his
stomach like snake, and then, in order to go
sufficiently slowly, either l had to keep my
leg some seconds in the air at every step, or
else to advance with full stop between each
stride, like Mary Queen of Scots going to ex-
ecution in a play Billali was not good at
crawling-I suppose his years stood in the
way-and our progress up to TINT apartment
was very long affair. was Immediately
behind him, and several times was sorely
tempted to help him on with good kick. 1t
is so absurd to advance into the presence OF
savage royalty after the fashion of an Irish
man driving a pig to market, for that is what
we looked like, and the idea nearly made me
burst out laughing then and there. had to
work my dangerous tendency to unseemly
merriment Off by blowing my nose-a pro-
ceeding which filled old Billali with horror;
for he looked over his shoulder and made
CHASTITY face at me, and heard him murmur,
"Oh, my poor Baboon"
At last wo reached the curtains, and here
Billali collapsed fiat ON to his stomach, with
he were dead, and l, not knowing what
to do, began to stare about the place. .. But
presently l distinctly felt that somebody was
looking at me from behind the curtains. l
could not sec tho person, but l could dis
tinctly feel his or her gaze, and what Is more,
it produced a very odd effect upon my nerves.
/ felt frightened, l don't know why. The
place was strange one, it is true, ard looked
lonely, notwithstanding its rich hangings and
tho soft glow of the lamps; indeed, these
accessories added to rather than detracted
from its Loneliness, just as o lighted street at
night has always more solitary appearance
than dark one 1t was so silent in the place,
and there lay Billali like one dead before the
heavy curtains, through which the odor
Of perfume seemed to float up toward the
gloom of the arched roof above. Minute
grew into minute, and still there was no sign
of life, nor did the curtain Rove; but felt
the gaze of the unknown being sinking
through and through me, and filing me with
a namcless terror, till the perspiration stood
in beads upon my brow.
At last the curtain began to move. Who
could be behind it-some naked savage queen,
a languishing oriental beauty or Nineteenth
century young lady drinking afternoon teal
had not the slightest idea, and should not
have been astonished at seeing any of the
three. l was getting beyond astonishment
The curtain agitated itself little, then CAD
denly between its folds there appeared q most
beautiful white hand white as snow, and
with long tapering fingers ending In the pink
est nails The hand grasped the curtain and
drew it aside, and as it did so heard voice,
l think the softest and yet most silvery voice
l ever heard. 1t reminded me Of the murmur
of brook.
STRANGER" said the voice in Arabic, but
much purer and more classical Arabic than
tho Amnhagger talk-"Stranger, wherefore
art thou 70 much afraidp
Now flattered myself that In spite of my
inward terrors / had kept very fair COM
mand Of my countenance, and was therefore
q little astonished at this question. Before l
bad made up my mind how to answer 1t,
however, tho curtain was drawn and a tall
figure stood before us. 1 say figure, for not
only her body, but also her face, was wrapped
up in soft, white gauzy material in such way
rs at first sight to remind me most forcibly
1f corpse in its grave clothes. And yet
10 not know why it should have given mo
That idea, seeing that the wrappings were SO
thin that one could distinctly see the CLEAN
Of the pink flesh beneath them. l suppose it
was the way in which they were arranged,
1ltneT uCcluenuilyt Ut HlOIS piODdDlg ny W.
sign. Anyhow, felt more frightened than
ever at this ghost like apparition, and my
hair began to rise upon my head as the feel
ing crept over me that was in the pres
snce of something that was not canny. The
,wathed, mummy like form before me was
hat of tall and lovely woman, instinct
with beauty in every part, and also with q
,ertain snake like grace that had never
zen anything like before. When she moved
/ hand or foot her entire frame seemed to I'M
lulate; and the neck did not bend, it curved.
"Why art thou so frightened, BtrangerP
lsked the sweet voice again-a voice that
eemed to draw the heart out Of me like the
trains of softest music. as there that about
ne that should alright mani Then surely
ire men changed from what they used to be-"
And with little coquettish movement she
turned herself and held. up one arm, 50 as to
show all her loveliness and the rich hair Of
raven blackness that streamed in soft ripples
down her snowy robes, almost to her sandaled
feet
at is thy beauty that makes me fear, oh,
lueenh answered, humbly, scarcely know I
ing what to shy, and I thought that as did |
70 heard old Billali, who was still lying |
,rostrate on the floor, muttar, aGood, my
Baboon, good"
II sec that men still know how 10 beguile \
IS women with false words All, Stranger
Inc answered, with laugh that sounded like !
Instant silver bells, "thoG vast afraid because
nine eyes were searching out thine heart,
therefore, vast thou afraid But being but q |